RAPID CITY, S.D. — As the temps go down, thermostats are turned up, and heating bills will follow in the same direction.

According to Montana Dakota Utilities, customers can expect their heating bill to be about $30 higher per month, roughly $150 for the five month cold weather season for residential customers. MDU says weather will likely be the biggest factor for hearing costs.

The company projects that if this winter is 10% colder than last year, the cost could increase by $40 a month and they say that’s a conservative estimate.

The rising cost of natural gas is a straight pass through for MDU customers with the company not making a profit off that increase. However, there are a few things you can do to minimize the cost.

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